Creating relatively pure and consistent crystals of high performance minerals, such as diamond, has long been pursued. Unfortunately, synthesizing crystals that exhibit deep bonding generally requires high temperatures and high pressures for the formation of large crystals, as used in (General Electric's diamond synthesis. Alternatively, high pressure and explosive shock waves can also be utilized, as demonstrated by DuPont in their closed-bomb diamond synthesis. Diamond crystal formation at lower temperatures and pressures have been demonstrated, but the formations have been thin and inconsistent. A method of forming diamond and the synthesis of other high performance crystals that are consistent, and can be grown to larger sizes has not existed, nor has a means of providing uniform and consistent thin layers of diamond and other such crystals been demonstrated. The present invention solves those needs by providing a method and apparatus with which to grow uniform and consistent thin sections as well as large crystals that are deeply bonded, and to do so at lower temperatures and pressures then is currently possible, and at lower cost.
This invention was conceived in late 1978, and the original engineering notes were witnessed and documented at the time. In 1983 the additional research on the invention was documented by patent attorney William Hobby of Orlando, Fla., and beginning in 1986 to the present additional research and developments were documented by patent attorney Edward Livingston of Winter Park, Fla. Additional disclosures were made under secrecy agreements to Martin-Marietta employees in 1983, and to Ford and Ford Aerospace (Loral) employees in 1987/8. A disclosure document, #367706, was filed with the U.S.P.T.O.